Music production software is a great way to learn the process of creating and producing music. This article features 10+ best free music production software for beginners in 2021 (mac and PC). Get ready to explore your musical creativity!
The “best music-making software for beginners free” is a list of the 10 best free music production software programs for Mac and PC. The program can be used to make beats, compose songs, mix tracks, and more.
The music industry has undergone a paradigm change as a result of the internet’s arrival. The days when thousands of aspiring artists sought out music companies to produce professional-quality songs are long gone. Anyone may now produce lovely melodies in the comfort of their own home and sing out anthems for the whole world to marvel at, thanks to a boom of free music production software or DAWs. Despite the fact that music creation has gotten laughably simple, finding the finest free music production software is a difficult task.
The issue is exacerbated by the fact that there is a lot of pricey software on the market that discourages people from utilizing free music producing tools! So, how can a nascent composer get their hands on a free DAW? Of course, by browsing through our selection of 10 of the finest free music producing software for beginners!
Table of Contents
How do you choose a decent free music production program?
All of the free DAWs in our list have been picked based on numerous factors such as simplicity of use and UI responsiveness, whether they’re running on Mac OS X or Windows (7, 8, and 10). When choosing a DAW, be sure to consider things like third-party VST compatibility. Fortunately, all of these DAWs come with a large library of free VST plugins, synthesizers, drum loops, and more.
Whether you’ve been searching for a sophisticated DAW with free synthesizers or simply a basic beat maker, your quest is over. Are you prepared to choose the finest free music producing software for beginners? Let’s get started without further ado.
In 2021, here are ten of the best free music production software for beginners.
1) Reaper (Mac OS X and Windows)
You may be asking why Reaper is included in our list of free music producing software since it requires a $60 purchase after the free trial period. The fact is that Reaper may be used indefinitely, even after the two-month trial period has ended. Features like strong MIDI routing in different media formats at any sample, bit, and depth rate are why Reaper reigns supreme.
A clever ReSurround tool for spatial visualization, as well as real-time stretch, FX processing, and a Notation Reader for creating and reading music, are all included. Reaper’s customizability is unrivaled, since you can tune it to your heart’s content.
The customizability of Reaper’s drag and drop layout tool, which allows you to dock, display, or conceal outboard windows on a separate monitor, will appeal to newcomers in particular. Reaper is also capable of processing stereo and multichannel audio (up to 64 channels) with ease.
Reaper also has auto plugin delay correction and smooth integration of third-party VST, AU, and MIDI plugins. There are also a number of beginner-friendly features such as resize, glue, and trim that are handy for recording repeated takes and loops, as well as overdubbing recordings.
2) GarageBand (Macintosh)
GarageBand has been a standard feature on Macs for newcomers learning the ropes of music creation since the dawn of time. GarageBand, believe it or not, is a fantastic DAW with virtual session drummers, a multitude of AU plugins, EQ support, and a wealth of guitar, synth, and drum loops. Furthermore, the UI is clean and snappy, allowing you to stack up to 255 tracks, as well as employ a variety of integrated stompbox models and pedalboards.
GarageBand is ideal for guitar-based music creation, with a realistic range of amp simulators encompassing genres such as Classic Rock, grunge, Metalcore, and indie. Not to mention that you may create, record, and share your masterpiece using a variety of rich sounding presets for guitar, vocals, and percussion.
Overall, Garageband is one of the greatest free music production tools for novices, and it may be used as a stepping stone to learning Logic Pro, GarageBand’s more sophisticated sibling.
3) Tracktion 7 (Mac and PC)
Tracktion 7 is a full-fledged workflow-oriented tool with a snazzy “blue steel interface” fundamentally geared for some serious action. It has long been hailed as a “infinite” free DAW for music makers. Tracktion 7 supports a wide range of VST/AU plugins whose settings may be further automated using the smart Automation Patterns tool, no matter what type of music you make. The LFO modifier in T7 may be used to make a plugin even more expressive.
The Clip Layer effects tool, on the other hand, is a genuine standout, since it enables you to layer several effects on individual clips rather of utilizing them on whole tracks. T7’s easy single-screen interface, which comes in useful for writing, recording, mixing, and mastering tracks with elegance, will also impress beginners.
T7, of course, continues the heritage of Tracktion 6 with features like Z-elastique Plane’s pro time stretch algorithm, beat time correction, “super comp” audio compilation tool, rom, and a powerful plugin management system for handling a large number of VST/AU plugins on your DAW.
4) Ableton Live Lite 9 [Windows & Mac]
Don’t let Ableton Live 9’s limited edition status fool you; it’s still one of the greatest free music production tools for novices to experiment with. The lite edition, for beginning, allows you to record up to 8 tracks with MIDI sequencing. You may also use a diverse set of integrated VST/AU Plugins and SFX (EQ, reverb, compressor, chorus, delay, drum sampler, and so on) to produce professional-sounding mixes.
Furthermore, Ableton Live Lite 9 is compatible with the Export live set functionality of many iOS applications, allowing you to sync MIDI equipment such as keyboards and perform sets while on the road.
In addition, the interface is highly responsive and workflow-oriented, making it quite simple for novices to create, record, and produce their own music. In addition, there are built-in slicing and warping tools, as well as useful Analogue-modeled filters that replicate old hardware models.
5) Ardour (Windows & Mac)
Ardour, a one-of-a-kind open-source DAW, caught our curiosity in a variety of ways. To begin with, Ardour has a plethora of VST/AU and FX plugins that are essential for enhancing your sound in DAWs. More crucially, the plugins allow you to automate settings. Then there’s the industry-standard mixing console, which is simple to use owing to a pleasant interface with well-defined buttons and widgets that are cleanly grouped without seeming jumbled.
Ardour is also a non-linear editor (with virtual racks for visualizing overlapping zones) and one of the greatest free music creation tools for novices of all stripes, making multi-track MIDI editing a breeze.
Ardour is your go-to application if you also want to perform some slick video editing on the side. With ease and elegance, edit a video’s soundtrack on a frame-by-frame timeline, or trim through films shown in a separate monitor window.
6) LMMS (Windows & Mac)
If ease of use were the criterion for selecting a decent DAW, LMMS would win. It is suitable for music makers of all stripes, both novice and professional. LMMS has a familiar-looking UI that immediately draws you in. LMMS assures you can add more components into your compositions with a diverse range of instrument synthesizers (including Roland TB-303 emulation) and support for drop-in VST and LADSPA plug-ins.
LMMS also includes five editors to assist you in creating killer tracks. A FX editor for enhancing mixes, a Rhythms + Bassline Editor for generating funky beats, and a Song Editor for composing melodies are all included.
There’s also a distortion and bass enhancer, a piano-roll editor, a delay, a limiter, a reverb, and a built-in compressor. Finally, you can import MIDI files from other DAWs like Hydrogen and export them as MP3, AIFF, or WAV files.
7) DarkWave Studio is a design studio based in New York City (Windows)
DarkWave Studio is a strong candidate on our list of the best free music production software for beginners if you’re searching for a lightweight DAW that doesn’t take up a lot of memory or space.
Multitrack Hard Disk Recorder, Pattern Editor, Sequence Editor, and Virtual Studio are just a few of the capabilities. Sequence Editor stands out among others because it enables users to combine all of the track patterns and line up patterns that may be played in any order.
On its easy drag-and-drop interface, DarkWave also supports multiple kinds of ASIO audio drivers and over 19 integrated VSTs that provide a variety of diverse effects to your mix. However, for some newcomers, dealing with too many menus and distinct windows on DarkWave may be inconvenient.
8) MU.Lab (Windows & Mac)
MU.Lab is a must-have DAW for novices wanting to create, record, mix, and generate multi-track audio. It has a top-tier modular synth and effects engine. To begin with, this fantastic tool enables audio and MIDI playback via a fluid and snappy user interface. You’d be blown away by MU.Lab’s easy visual routing and configurable mixing desk, which are designed to make difficult and time-consuming edits a breeze.
Mu.Lab also has auto mono/stereo audio processing, a step sequencer, an arpeggiator, and the ability to automate settings. But it’s the customizable synthesizers and percussion that really stand out.
The MuDrum module may be used to alter sampled drum loops, while the MuSynth workhorse synth/sampler (a collection of world-class synthesizers) can be used to breathe fresh life into your mix.
9) [Mac] Hydrogen
Looking for a good DAW with a modular interface to make your own beats? Hydrogen, one of the greatest free music production tools for aspiring artists, is a great place to start. Hydrogen is an excellent free option for producing and tweaking rhythm-based recordings, and it’s ideal if you’re just interested in sampling drum sounds.
Hydrogen is a high-end drum machine with a pattern-based sequencer that can combine hundreds of patterns into a single track. Additionally, MIDI input is supported, and songs may be rendered in FLAC, OGG, AIFF, and WAV formats.
On the negative, Hydrogen lacks several of the functionality seen in more costly DAWs. Don’t be put off by Hydrogen’s restricted functionality; it has a sample editor with cut and loop options, a pitch corrector, sophisticated tap tempo, and a time-stretch tool.
10) Audacity (Mac and PC)
Without Audacity, no list of the best free music production software for beginners would be complete. Audacity is compatible with a variety of VSTs and includes tools like pitch correction and delay that are vital for novices learning the ropes.
Audacity may be used to edit samples, songs, and convert audio files to MP3, AIFF, WAV, FLAC, and other formats thanks to its user-friendly interface. Furthermore, since Audacity is a multitrack audio editor, you may edit mono and stereo files individually.
Audacity, on the other hand, is an open-source digital audio editor rather than a full-fledged DAW, therefore it mainly manipulates audio data rather than assisting users in combining many audio waveforms into a cohesive mix. This may be restricting for certain individuals who have progressed past the novice stage or who wish to take their audio interests to the next level.
That’s all there is to it! Did you like our roundup of the finest free music-making software? Did we overlook any DAWs that you’re aware of? Leave your thoughts in the comments section. Let’s get this party started.
ALSO READ: Best Free VST Autotune Plugins
ALSO READ: The Best Free VST Piano Plugins
CHECK OUT THESE 20+ FREE SOUND EFFECTS WEBSITES
The “best music production software for windows” is a list of 10+ software that are free to use. The list includes programs such as FL Studio, Ableton Live, and Bitwig Studio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free DAW in 2021?
A: One of the best free DAWs is Ableton Live.
What is the easiest music production software to learn?
A: It is difficult to say as each person will have a different opinion on what music production software they enjoy the most. Some people may prefer FL Studio over Ableton, while others might choose GarageBand over Reason 8. Another example would be that some might enjoy Guitar Pro 5 better than Logic Pro X due to its more user-friendly interface and simplistic design.
What is the best music production software for Mac?
A: A variety of music production software are available on the Mac platform. Some examples include GarageBand, Pro Tools, and Ableton Live.
Related Tags
- best music production software free
- free music-making software for beginners
- best music production software for beginners
- music production software free download full version
